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ESPN Ratings: A "Game Score" for Hitters

Each season, some of the best individual performances are recorded and highlighted by the WIS engine...but they get erased at the end of the year so I figured this would be a good place to keep a longer term record of those. Also, I have recently determined a way in which we can figure out once and for all who had the best individual performance of the season. Keeping records here also allows us to make cross-season references (starting in Season 49, since that's when this idea occurred to me.)

To evaluate each hitting performance, I am going to use a slightly modified version of the "ESPN Rating" which is essentially a Game Score for hitters that ESPN came up with. It is traditionally scored in the following manner:

Baseline score of 59

+1 point per hit

+1 point per run scored

+0.25 points per walk

+1 point for each Total Base

+0.25 points per steal

-0.25 points per caught stealing attempt

+0.25 points per Sac Fly

+0.25 points per Sac Hit

+1 point per RBI

-0.25 points per strikeout

-0.25 point per non-productive out

This doesn't account for defense whatsoever, and in my humble opinion having a great game in the field on top of a great day at the plate is what really identifies the best of the best. At the same time, having a great day at the plate can be somewhat dampened by a miscue or two in the field. To that end, I've decided to add a defensive portion to the ESPN rating, which will consist of the following categories and point values:

+0.25 points per putout

+0.25 points per infield assist

+0.50 points per outfield assist

-1 point per error

-0.25 points per passed ball

+0.25 points per runner caught stealing (by catcher)

+1 point per "plus" play

-1 point per "minus" play

For pitchers, I'm going to use Bill James' Game Score, which is calculated using the following criteria:

Baseline score of 50

+1 point per out recorded

+2 points per inning pitched after the 4th

+1 point per strikeout

-2 points per hit allowed

-4 points per earned run allowed

-2 points per unearned run allowed

-1 point per walk allowed

Looking at this season's Noteworthy Games, all but one are hitting performances through the first 121 games of the regular season. Here's a quick breakdown of each of them (for reference, the best score-batting only-in MLB so far this season is 86.5 by Josh Bell in his 3 HR game on July 1st):